Beastly's Mistake
by lostangel007
Summary: Beastly pretends to join the Care Bears in an effort to trick them, but then he meets the person he's supposed to care for on his caring mission. My first fanfic from years ago, and a great big Mary Sue.
1. A Cruel Idea Gone Wrong?

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Care Bears or related characters or properties. But I created Kaira. This is my first fanfic, and I am revising it. 

Mr. Beastly looked into No Heart's steaming cauldron and chuckled, as he spied on the unknowing Care Bears. Grams Bear was busy bringing her home- made soup to Tenderheart and Noble-Heart, who where both sick in bed with a cold.

"There, there," Beastly heard Gram's kindly voice soothe them. "Just rest and have some of my good homemade soup. It will make you feel better. You poor dears-out all night on a caring mission in the freezing rain-no wonder you both caught colds!"

Noble-Heart tried to sit up in his bed. "Grams, no need to fuss-really. It's just a little cold, and there are so many caring missions to do today!" Noble-Heart was interrupted by a sudden cough. "Ohhh-." He fell back into his soft bed.

"Now, Noble-Heart, please. The others can handle those caring missions. Now rest." Grams said sternly.

Tenderheart turned over to look at him from his bed. "Grams is right, Noble, Brave-Hearts in charge of the caring missions for today, so you have nothing to worry about."

Noble-Heart weakly nodded, as he let Grams feed him some soup.

Back in No Heart's cauldron room at the castle, Beastly was still surveying the Care Bears, and he let out his strange chuckle:

"Hachachachacha!"

Beastly pointed his furry finger towards the image in the cauldron.

"That's right, you have NOTHING to worry about, Noble-Heart. Especially since I am going to be helping out on the caring mission."

Beastly chuckled to himself again, and spun around to admire his loathliness in the broken mirror that was supposed to be right behind him. But instead of finding the shaggy reflection that he so expected, he found himself looking up into the red eyes of his master, No Heart.

"Beastly!" No Heart's voice boomed through the cauldron room, and No Heart's evil shadows scattered.

"What do you think you are doing in my cauldron room? I have told you never to come in here when I am not here!"

Beastly's heart was pounding as the cloaked wizard came closer and closer, and Beastly soon found himself up against the wall. With burning eyes, No Heart picked Beastly up by his scruffy collar and shook him.

"Well?!," No Heart demanded.

Beastly was shaking so much he could hardly talk. "P-p-please, No Heart, your mercifulness-"No Heart dropped Beastly to the floor, and crossed his arms.

"I am waiting, Beastly," said No Heart coldly and Beastly saw No Heart's eyes move over to the steaming cauldron. He knew what No Heart was thinking; the evil sorcerer had often thrown Beastly into the cauldron for punishment. Beastly gulped.

"No Heart, I have a plan. A plan to take care of those cutesy Care Bears."

He stopped to get his breath, and looked to No Heart, who was listening. Beastly went on:

"A plan to make everyone hate the care bears! I was just spying on the care bears in your magical cauldron. Two of the leaders are sick! And they'll be sick in bed for a while, hoo-boy! They where out all night one of those disgusting caring missions, yuck."

No Heart's eyes began to glow again. "Your losing my interest, Beastly, get on with it!"

Beastly nodded.

"Well, you see with two of the leaders sick they need more care bears to do caring missions. Now here comes the good part, No Heart," Beastly grinned.

No Heart, in turn, frowned.

"I pretend to join them, and I go on a caring mission and I'll mess everything up!" Beastly almost fell over then, with excitement.

"And you know, I'm good at messing things up. I'll make the kid cry! I'll steal his toys and turn his friends against him and get the school bullies after him, hachachacha!"

No Heart looked to his cauldron again, and Beastly stopped chuckling and cringed. But to his relief, No Heart began to walk away from him.

"And you shall bring the child to me, for I need to test one of my new potions of uncaring," No Heart peered into his cauldron, and began his evil laugh that always echoed through the castle and always gave Beastly the chills.

"Y-yes boss," Beastly stammered. "Hoo-boy, everyone's going to hate the care bears once I'm through with them!"

No Heart turned to his assistant and pointed. "Now go, Beastly, and do not mess this one up, or you will be very, very sorry."

Beastly fled to the door. "No problem, boss-well, I will mess it up, but only for the Care Bears!" and with that, Beastly was out the door.

No Heart looked to his cauldron where the images of the care bears sick in bed were still there.

"Now, Care Bears, doesn't it make you happy knowing you shall be helping me test out my uncaring potion thanks to your wonderful little caring missions." No Heart laughed again, and with a wave of his hand, the image in the cauldron faded.


	2. CareALot

Beastly had taken his flying bicycle to Care-A lot, and had done one of his usual crash landings on the main cloud. He got up and shook his head.

"Oh, this is going to be great! No Heart will give me a place right next to his throne for sure!" Beastly stopped to think about that.

"Well, maybe he won't do that, but maybe I'll stop being thrown into the cauldron."

No Heart had been so grouchy lately, grouchier than usual, Beastly knew that the care bears always winning where getting to him. And they where getting to Beastly too-because every time the fluffy little bears defeated him, No Heart would take it out on Beastly. Well, not this time.

"It's Beastly!"

Beastly's thoughts where broken by a girlish voice. He spun to see Cheer Bear and Braveheart staring at him.

"Charge!" Braveheart roared.

Beastly dropped to his knobby knees. "No, wait-stop-don't stare me!" he begged.

"What are you doing here?" Cheer demanded.

Beastly pulled out a tissue, and pretended to sob into it. "Oh, it was awful! My only home! No Heart kicked me out. He said I messed up too much."

Braveheart rolled his eyes. "Well, that is understandable."

Beastly blew his nose. "I have seen the error of my ways, Care Bears. Really I have. My fondest wish is to now join you Care Bears in your fight against my evil EX-master, No Heart." He snuck a look at them to see if either of them where buying this. Cheer looked confused, and Braveheart didn't look too convinced. He began to sob even louder.

"Oh, please, help me- I so want to be good."

Just then, Trueheart came rushing over.

"Cheer, Braveheart, I-"she stopped suddenly, upon seeing No Heart's assistant standing on the clouds with the Care Bears.

"Beastly?!" she exclaimed.

Trueheart looked to Cheer and Braveheart.

"Uh-Beastly got kicked out by No Heart," Cheer explained.

Trueheart looked to Beastly, who was pretending to wipe away his tears.

"Oh. Well, that's no surprise," she went to Beastly and smiled at him.

"Beastly, I knew this was going to happen sooner or later."

Beastly looked up at her with genuine surprise. "You did?"

Trueheart nodded. "Come, Beastly, we shall inaugurate you in the Hall of Hearts-"

Trueheart then stopped, seemingly thinking something over. Beastly held his breath.

"Well, we'll wait until Tender and Noble are feeling a little better."

Beastly let his breath out then.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Trueheart turned to Cheer and Braveheart.

"We have a lot of caring missions to complete today; we're all going to have to pull double duty!"

Cheer and Brave nodded. Beastly, sensing his chance, spoke up:

"I'd like to help with the caring missions," he offered innocently.

Braveheart stepped forward. "I don't think that's a good idea, yet, Beastly-you haven't been trained yet."

Trueheart put her hand on Beastly's shoulder. "That is true, Beastly, you do really need training. However-the best kind of training is on the spot training. Cheer, why don't you escort him along on a caring mission, and see how he does."

Cheer nodded. "Sure thing, Trueheart! Come on, Beastly!" Cheer smiled cheerfully.

Beastly tried not to let Cheer see him roll his eyes.

Trueheart and Braveheart watched as Cheer and Beastly made their way to the cloud cars.

"I don't know, Trueheart-do you really think Beastly can handle a caring mission? Just because No Heart kicked him out, doesn't mean he really has given up his bad ways. He might just want a warm place to stay." Braveheart rubbed his mane as he watched Beastly climb clumsily into a cloud car. He looked as if he wanted to drive, but Cheer gently indicated that she was going to do the driving. He reluctantly pushed aside for her.

"I understand your concern, Braveheart-but the Care Bears have to give everyone a chance. I know there is good in Beastly; otherwise I would never have let him go on the caring mission. And we really need more help right; we're shorthanded with Tender and Noble sick in bed! The people on earth need us. A lot of people need us more than ever right now."

Braveheart noticed Trueheart had sadness in her voice.

"And he's with Cheer-she is very patient and she will keep an eye on him." Trueheart noted.

"Now come, Braveheart, we have our own caring missions to attend." She then called out to Beastly, who was about to hop into Cheer's car.

"Beastly?"

He turned to look at Trueheart.

"Good luck," she offered to him.

Beastly then flashed her a smile that made her a little uneasy as the cloud car sped off towards earth.

"Oh, please, Cheer, watch him like a hawk," she muttered under her breath so Braveheart couldn't hear.


	3. The Caring Mission

Beastly's mistake Chapter 3: The Caring Mission  
  
As Cheer flew her cloud car down towards earth, she talked about caring missions, and how to approach a human who needed help, and the many techniques of being a good listener, and caregiver. Beastly was listening to none of this. He was too busy evilly plotting how uncaring he was going to be! That human would be shocked, and never trust another care bear again. He could even tell them awful lies about the care bears. Oh, No Heart for once would be so proud of him! And maybe he'd stop kicking him around so much. Or at least not so hard...  
  
"We're here!"  
  
Cheer aimed the vehicle down towards a quiet white house, in the middle of a suburban town.  
  
When Beastly saw the flower pots with pink flowers aligning the stone stairs, he thought he'd be sick. Cheer beamed at Beastly.  
  
"This is Kaira's house."  
  
The two medium sized animals, one so pink and sweet, and one so brown and strange, began to walk up the steps. Cheer knocked on the door, as she could not reach the doorbell. Cheer turned to Beastly as they waited. Beastly was almost bubbling over with excitement-any minute now he was going to make some little kid's life miserable! Cheer smiled at him, totally oblivious to how he was really feeling-she thought he was actually excited to help someone!  
  
"I thought Kaira would be the perfect person to start out on-she is a little older and mature than most of our cases, so she'll understand if you're new at this."  
  
Beastly nodded. So he was going to help a girl! Girls cry so much more than boys...  
  
Cheer looked to the door again. "Um, let's try the backyard, she could be there. After all, it's such a beautiful day, who'd want to be inside on a day like this?"  
  
Beastly rolled his eyes as he followed Cheer around the back. He could just gag.  
  
"Hello?" Cheer called as she pushed open the back gate half-way.  
  
Beastly stood behind Cheer, practicing his "Evil" face.  
  
He then heard a female voice: "Cheer Bear! Oh my goodness! It has been forever. I thought I'd never see a care bear again."  
  
And he stared as a young woman in her early twenties jumped up from the picnic table she had been sitting at, and came forward. She got down to her knees to embrace Cheer. He stared at her. She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She was tall and slender, with long dark blonde hair to the middle of her back. Her skin was soft and clear, and as she embraced Cheer she opened her eyes and looked right at Beastly. Her eyes-he had never in his life seen eyes like that, on any creature. They where the most beautiful shade of green, bright and vibrant, framed by long dark eyelashes. She blinked once, at Beastly, and her full pink lips formed a smile as she looked at him. She let go of Cheer. Beastly's heart was beating a mile a minute; he swore she was an angel.  
  
"Hi," she said softly to him, almost shyly (?) but perhaps his furry little ears where deceiving him.  
  
"Uh-hello?" he said back.  
  
She held out her hand to him, and he almost fainted. Cheer stepped forward.  
  
"Kaira, this is Beastly-a-uh, new addition to the care bears, you could kinda say. He is here to help you."  
  
Cheer beamed at Kaira, who was still smiling at Beastly, with her hand still outstretched.  
  
"It's so nice to meet you, Beastly. Thank you for coming to help me."  
  
Beastly looked at Kaira, expecting her to be a dream that would fade away as soon as it came. He slowly reached out his furry claw to her beautiful hand.  
  
"Uh, likewise," he shook her hand, staring wide-eyed into her kind eyes. What on earth had he gotten himself into?! 


	4. Kaira

Beastly's mistake, Chapter four, Kaira  
  
Beastly wiped his brow while Kaira went into the kitchen to get Cheer and him pink lemonade. Could it be the care bears where playing a cruel joke on him? No, it couldn't be. The care bears where not capable of cruel jokes. He was, but surely not the care bears. Cheer noticed him shaking.  
  
"Oh, don't be nervous, Beastly. You'll do just fine." Beastly turned to her.  
  
"I thought I was supposed to be helping some little kid. SHE is not a little kid," he pointed to her slender figure that was silhouetted through the kitchen window.  
  
Cheer nodded. "Care Bears don't just help little kids, Beastly-EVERYONE needs caring. It's true, most of our caring missions tend to twelve and under, but of course we help adults too. And a lot of the adults we help nowadays we once helped when they where kids! Like Kaira, did you notice how she knew me?"  
  
Beastly didn't know what to say-or do. What about his evil plan?  
  
Kaira came out then with a tray of cold drinks and chocolate chip cookies. His heart thumped when she placed the tray on the picnic table and sat down next to him. He smiled nervously, and reached for his cup, which he ended up spilling all over himself. Kaira and Cheer giggled. He so hoped No Heart wasn't watching him at that moment-No Heart! What would he tell No Heart?  
  
Kaira handed him a paper towel, and Cheer cleared her throat. "So, Kaira- tell us, what's been the trouble?"  
  
Kaira looked to Cheer, and then down at her hands. Beastly watched her. What on earth could be troubling her? Whatever it was, could he really help her?  
  
She looked back at Cheer, and then to Beastly. His heart skipped a beat knowing she was including him in on this.  
  
"It's my ex-boyfriend, Tom."  
  
She looked around the yard for a moment, and then turned back to Cheer and Beastly, and lowered her voice to a whisper.  
  
"He's been stalking me for the last month. He's sent me notes, followed me, left messages on my answering machine-it's gotten really bad. I've alerted the police, and they do routine checks on this street, and I haven't seen his car on this street for over a week, but I know he's watching me still. And I've seen his car downtown, and I know he's still around. I know Tom, and Tom never gives up."  
  
As Kaira told her story, Beastly noticed that she was slipping her barefoot in and out of her white sneaker. Kaira's voice broke then, and her foot stopped. He looked to her.  
  
"And I'm just so frightened."  
  
Beastly thought about how innocent she looked, so sweet, so delicate. He just so wanted to put his twiggy arms around her and hold her close and protect her. (But would she let him do that? Or would she be frightened of him too?) Cheer moved to sit next to Kaira.  
  
"It's all right, Kaira-don't you worry-we won't let anyone get to you." Cheer hugged Kaira while Beastly watched longingly.  
  
"Right," he said softly.  
  
But he was not sure if he had heard him. Kaira had tears in her eyes.  
  
"Thank you," she said to Cheer, and then looked to Beastly.  
  
"Both of you."  
  
He smiled faintly. She had heard. 


	5. The Third Rule?

Chapter Five, The Third Rule?  
  
It was now almost seven, and rain had started to fall lightly outside. ("Like Kaira's tears" Beastly thought to himself.) The three had gone inside, to escape from the wetness. Beastly hoped for something more to eat, he was feeling dizzy, but he knew it wasn't from not eating. He knew what the strange dizziness was from, and it scared him a little. A lot.  
  
He hung back in the small living room, watching Kaira intently as she cautiously pulled the shades and Cheer did all the talking. He wanted to talk to Kaira, to say something to her that would make her feel better, safer, and to forget about that stupid Tom she talked so fearfully of.  
  
Kaira and Cheer where talking about human males.  
  
"It's just I'm peculiar about men. Picky. I don't go for the guy most girls go for-I like somebody who's different- mysterious." She said almost dreamily and looked away from the window, and to Cheer and Beastly. She clasped her arms around herself. She was wearing a form-fitting pink sweater and blue jeans.  
  
"It's getting chilly in here, would you guys like some hot cocoa?" She started for the kitchen.  
  
Just then, a loud beeping noise took place. Kaira jumped. Cheer held up her care beeper for her to see.  
  
"True hearts beeping me," she said, and paused. She looked up to Kaira, who brushed her bangs out of her eyes ("Her eyes!", thought Beastly for the millionth time that day) and looked at Cheer quizzically.  
  
Cheer rolled the small care beeper in between her paws, and seemed to be deep in thought. Finally, she stood up from her place at the couch.  
  
"I got to go. They're beeping me, and it may be an emergency. If it's not I'll come back right away, but I have a feeling they need more help on their caring missions."  
  
Beastly's heart jumped. Alone with Kaira? What would he say? And then, an awful thought got to him: What if Cheer insisted he'd leave with her, back to Care-A-Lot? No, he could not leave her, ever.  
  
Kaira smiled and nodded. She looked a little nervous, he thought. ("Because of having to stay with me?")  
  
"I understand, Cheer. I'll be all right. Please don't worry about me."  
  
Cheer took Kaira's hand into her paw and held it for a moment. Then she let go and turned to Beastly on the couch with the most serious look and a raised eyebrow.  
  
"Ahem," she cleared her throat. "Beastly, can I speak to you for a minute?"  
  
Beastly reluctantly slid off the couch, and shot a side-long glance at Kaira. They're eyes met. What was he could sense in her eyes? Was it actually hope he was going to stay with her?  
  
Cheer met him by the door. "Beastly, I am very impressed."  
  
He tore his eyes from Kaira, who had now gone into the kitchen.  
  
"Huh?" he asked dumbly, the same way he talked when No Heart had accused him of something.  
  
"You know, to be honest, I was on guard with you-I half-expected you to pull something really stupid." Cheer broke into a huge smile. "But you REALLY do want to help people."  
  
Beastly looked down at his feet, and she went on: "I am very proud of you. You have been such a good listener to her, and I can see how concerned you are about her."  
  
She then lowered her voice a little. "So I am leaving you here with Kaira, to watch over her, until I can make it back. You'll be all right?"  
  
Beastly nodded, his heart pounding. The pink care bear studied him. "Well, there's only one thing left that concerns me." Beastly was beginning to get impatient, when was she going to leave?!  
  
"What's that?" He tapped his foot. Stupid care bear details.  
  
"Well, so far you're going by the first two rules you should have when you're caring for a adult. One, listen. Two, be concerned, of course. But three-," Cheer stopped, and looked at Beastly strangely, almost embarrassed of what to say next. Beastly didn't have time for these cutesy care bear games.  
  
"What? What is the third rule?" he rolled his eyes.  
  
"Don't fall," she whispered softly.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Don't fall." Cheer blinked.  
  
Beastly shook his head. "Look, I know I'm clumsy-sometimes, but-"  
  
"Don't fall in love."  
  
Cheer looked to him, he looked shocked and surprised she had said that.  
  
"I see the way you look at her, Beastly, but if you want to protect her- don't let your guard down. Don't fall in love." And she left.  
  
Beastly turned, knees shaking as he thought about what she had said. Kaira came out of the kitchen with a tray of hot cocoa.  
  
"Hey, just you and me tonight, Beastly," she said cheerfully. Upon seeing her, he tripped over his own feet, and fell flat on his face.  
  
"Are you OK?" she asked, concerned.  
  
He looked up to her, still on the ground. "I didn't fall!" 


	6. Thunder and Lightning

Beastly's mistake, Chapter Six, Thunder and Lightning  
  
Okay, Chapter six! I just want to say thank you to all that have taken their time to actually keep coming back and reading this, and also thank you for taken time to review my story! I really appreciate it. Oh, and also I apologize for the first tow jumbled chapters- I didn't mean to do it like that, and I wasn't familiar with Microsoft word then, and didn't know you had to make it upload into paragraphs (Which I learned a few days ago.) So thanks again, and I hope the story is not too strange for some of you-but I really wanted to explore a different idea. I always thought Beastly was a complex character somewhat, in some episodes not even being that villainous, and also being certainly vulnerable. So.thanks again for the reviews, guys. (  
  
Kaira did most of the talking that evening, because Beastly most of the time didn't Know what to say. He listened and smiled at what she had to say-she showed him her photo album, telling him about her life. She was born of a middle- class family, had one older brother, Jayce, loved animals and when she was little wanted to be a dolphin trainer at Sea World, but now she concentrated on modeling, she had done some modeling jobs, mainly make-up and clothes, but nothing big, she didn't want to be famous. She acted and sang in high school, and was also kind of shy in high school.  
  
She closed the flowered photo album, and looked at him; he was seated next to her on the couch. He tried not to sit to close to make it obvious, but it was almost as if she didn't mind.  
  
"Well, enough about me. I want to know about you now."  
  
The rain started to pick up outside. A flash of lightning next.  
  
"Me?" Beastly pointed to his furry chest.  
  
She shook her head, and stretched her legs. He had noticed, for the eight- millionth time how well those blue jeans fit her. She turned to face him completely, sitting cross-legged on the couch. He could smell her perfume. It smelled like-vanilla? He was familiar with that scent, as he had smelled it before in sweets. (When he had the time to steal them.) A loud crash of thunder hit just then. He saw that Kaira jumped, as he hardly noticed it, for he was use to the sound of thunder. He heard it all the time when he was at the castle-for some reason, there was thunder and lightning all the time outside of No Heart's home.  
  
"Did you hear that thunder? That was scary, but in a fun-sort of way," she smiled.  
  
"Aw, thunders nothing. I'm use to it, back from where I come from."  
  
"Where do you come from?" she asked, almost shyly he noticed.  
  
He paused. What was the harm in telling her? She wouldn't know. He didn't have to tell her everything, like how bad No Heart treated him.  
  
She stretched her socked foot a little bit, almost touching him.  
  
"Well, your not gonna believe me this, but I, uh-work for a sorcerer. I'm his right-hand assistant." (He thought that sounded impressive.) He suddenly remembered what he had told to the care bears.  
  
"I mean, uh-I USE to work for a sorcerer." He looked to see her reaction. She was listening, and she looked like she believed him.  
  
There was another flash of lightning then. "Oh, I hope we don't lose power. What was his name?" she asked curiously.  
  
He blinked at her. "His name? Uh-well, he called himself No Heart."  
  
She jumped back a little, surprised. "No Heart? He's not a legend? He's real?"  
  
Beastly was now surprised. "You've heard of him?"  
  
"Yes. I've heard stories of him since I was a little girl. Some people have even claimed to have seen him, but most people say it's just a legend." She clasped her arms around herself. He did not know if she was shivering from being cold, or fear. There was more thunder now. Kaira moved closer to Beastly.  
  
"Now I'm really scared now," she giggled nervously, and looked towards the window, then to him again, into his yellow eyes.  
  
"He's really real?"  
  
Beastly nodded. "I didn't mean to scare you, Kaira."  
  
"Its okay-I don't have to be scared when I have someone brave like you protecting me." She gave his arm a little punch, playfully.  
  
"Awww-"he waved his hand. Nobody had ever given him attention like this before! By this time, he was praying Cheer wouldn't come back that night-he just wanted to be alone with her.  
  
"And I thank you for coming to protect me. It means a lot to me."  
  
She then did something very strange. She leaned forward, and embraced him. He froze. Her soft hair lightly brushed against the side of his face, and he almost burst. He could not believe this was all happening. Slowly, he tried to unfreeze himself, and he put his arms around her, and hugged back, praying that she didn't hear his heart thumping a mile a minute.  
  
The lights gave away then. Pitch blackness. They both stayed hugging, both surprised by the sudden darkness. Kaira laughed.  
  
"Oh! I KNEW this was going to happen; I should have gotten some candles prepared earlier."  
  
Beastly could feel her began to move away, but he kept his arms tight around her. There was silence. His mind raced. He could kiss her now; it seemed to be the perfect moment.  
  
"Kaira?" he whispered, pulling her closer.  
  
"Yes?" she whispered softly back.  
  
He stopped. He couldn't. What if she wouldn't let him? There was no way he was going to risk ruin the greatest night of his life.  
  
"I'll-help you get some candles." He said quickly. He let her go, and she slid off the couch.  
  
. "Oh, that's okay, Beastly, you just sit. I know where they are," and she went off to the kitchen.  
  
He sighed. He had no idea what he was doing. He wondered if he got her nervous? Could there be even the slightest chance that she could like a scruffy furball like him? He heard her come back into the room, and she lit a candle and placed it on the coffee table in front of them. "There," she said approvingly. "Much better." And she crawled back onto the couch next to him. He looked away, feeling embarrassed about what had happened a minute ago. Then he felt her lightly touch him. He looked to her, surprised. She was looking at his red scarf, the one he always wore around his neck.  
  
"You're wearing a pilot's scarf. How dashing," she observed, and laughed a little, making him blush.  
  
"And," she went on, looking to his little pointy hat; "A pilot's hat. You must fly, then?"  
  
"A little," he grinned at her, not wanting to get into talking about the junky flying bike he used while going to carry out his master's evil deeds.  
  
She sighed, and leaned up against him. His heart skipped a beat. Neither of them spoke for a moment, they both watched their shadows on the white wall across from them, as the candle flickered. Her shadow so slender, mine so stumpy, he thought. Shadows. No Heart's shadows. He wondered what they where doing right at that moment, and No Heart too. They couldn't be watching, could they? No, they would've came surely by now. Chances where, No Heart was too busy working on a potion right now-  
  
Kaira leaned her head against his shoulder, and he instantly forgot about the shadows-and No Heart.  
  
"Beastly? You don't mind if I snuggled up to you, do you? It's just your so nice and warm and cuddly."  
  
Mind? Did he mind? It was then it occurred to him (and frightened him so) that this all could very well be a dream. He pinched himself just to make sure.  
  
"Ow!-I mean, of course not. I mean, I don't mind."  
  
She snuggled closer. "Mmmm," she sighed happily. (It wasn't a dream!) And did she say he was cuddly? He never imagined that word would ever be used for him. For care bears, yes, but not Beastly.  
  
"Beastly," her voice was getting sleepy. "Tell me about No Heart."  
  
He jumped a little, shocked at hearing his boss's name. "No Heart?" he coughed.  
  
"Yes. What is he like?" Kaira asked, with the innocence and curiosity of a child. "Is he really as bad as they say he is?"  
  
Beastly's eyes darted around the room.  
  
"Um, well-yes," he said cautiously.  
  
She was silent, as if thinking that over.  
  
"But you don't ever have to worry about him, because I'm here with you now." He couldn't believe he had said that. If No Heart ever heard him talking like that-he shivered.  
  
She gave him a little hug, for his seeming bravery. "Thank you," she whispered. There was more silence as they watched the candle's flame dance. She spoke again. "What does he look like?"  
  
Beastly shrugged. "Nobody really knows-not even me. He always wears this long robe and cowl, to cover his face."  
  
"Really? No one has ever seen his face?"  
  
Beastly shook his head. "Nope." He was beginning to feel uneasy-what was the fascination with No Heart?  
  
She leaned over and blew out the candle, and then laid her head against him, grasping him like a new teddy bear. There was more silence.  
  
"Do you think there is good in him, any good at all?" she asked.  
  
Beastly was silent for a moment.  
  
"No," he said finally. "Not at all."  
  
He looked down at her, but it was now pitch black, and he could not see. He was supposed to be a night creature, yet his night vision wasn't that great. He petted her silky hair gently, yearning.  
  
"Goodnight, Beastly. Sleep tight," she said softly.  
  
"Goodnight, Kaira," he answered. He almost added "I love you," but he couldn't. Not yet. 


	7. Secrets of the Night

Beastly's Mistake, Chapter Seven, Secrets of the Night  
  
Beastly could not go to sleep. He simply couldn't. It wasn't because he was not tired; it was because he had to stay awake and alert for Kaira. Because of that idiot Tom. And No Heart too, just in case.  
  
As Kaira dreamed, he reflected on the past day that was meant to start out as a sinister plan to finally get those care bears for his master. That morning, the one thing that mattered to him was being "sooo" bad to please No Heart a little. If No Heart finally had the care bears, he wouldn't be sending Beastly out all the time. Beastly often dreamed of having the freedom to just eat and sleep and eat all day. And eat too. And now he just wanted to stay with Kaira. And eat and sleep. But mostly just stay with Kaira. He could not believe how much his life had changed so much in one simple day. When he had first laid his beady eyes on her-he didn't mean to fall in love. It just happened, without him even thinking. He squinted in the dark at her, his eyes had gotten adjusted. She seemed so calm and even happy that he was there. But, although Beastly was not the brightest of creatures, he knew deep down he had to face reality sooner of later. He couldn't stay with her in her house forever, could he? But she was so sweet! Maybe she would let him.. But what if one day she met a guy-a HUMAN guy, and she fell in love with that human man, (his heart ached thinking about it) and decided to marry him? What then?  
  
And No Heart? His mind kept on wandering back to No Heart-what was he going to say to him? Beastly should have checked in by now. Maybe No Heart had sent his shadows out to find him..could they find him? What if they did? He shivered thinking what No Heart would do.and Kaira! Would No Heart harm Kaira even though she had done nothing at all (except just stolen the heart of his right hand assistant he thought.) He heard a clock chime then, it was now midnight. He felt his eyelids beginning to droop. (No! I must stay awake for Kaira, he thought.)  
  
But even with all these questions dancing in his mind, he still couldn't manage to stay awake, for all the day's events had left him exhausted. He reluctantly closed his eyes, and began to sleep..  
  
A horrifying nightmare came to him that night. He dreamt that No Heart's evil shadows had found them, and they had kidnapped Kaira while he had been sleeping.  
  
"No, no.."the poor creature muttered. He tossed and turned while he dreamt that while he was trying to save her, he fell, he didn't know how, all he knew that he was falling and then there was a loud thud.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
The morning sunshine greeted Beastly through the windows, as he at sat up on the floor rubbing his furry head. He looked. He had fallen off the couch, and hit his head on the coffee table. He yawned, and stretched, and then squinted.  
  
"When did No Heart have this room put in? And why did he put the coffee table so darn close to the couch?" he wondered.  
  
He stopped. He had just been dreaming, what was it he had just dreamt? Dreams where sometimes hard to remember after you just woke up..he had been falling..what was he falling from, then? He thought. He then noticed the muffled sound of a shower. And somebody was singing...a girl's voice was singing-Kaira!  
  
He remembered now, all about the previous day and the nightmare he had just had-but no, the shadows did not have her! He smiled happily to himself, and climbed back on the couch. "Just a nightmare," he said to himself, and he hugged a couch pillow-he was going to see Kaira again! It was all so real. He thought to himself how he had never been as happy in his entire life..he heard the water in the bathroom stop, and Kaira stopped singing too.  
  
He called out to her, "Good morning, Kaira!" and hugged the pillow even tighter when she called back happily out to him.  
  
"Good morning, Beastly! I'll be out as soon as I have my hair dry and make- up done. I will make you some breakfast."  
  
Beastly sighed dreamily as he clutched the pillow tightly. She could cook too! What more could he possibly want? His heart (and stomach) where in love. He began to doze off as he waited for her...  
  
When he finally woke again, he sensed somebody in the room with him. He blinked his eyes a few times.  
  
"Kaira?" he called.  
  
He didn't hear her moving about anymore in the next room. Then, it all happened so fast- he saw the shadow. He quickly pinched himself to make sure it he wasn't dreaming again, but it hurt when he pinched. He froze. Where was Kaira? The black shadow floated towards him, and threw some type of powder on him-he began to feel sleepy. His mind began to panic-No Heart's sleeping powder-he had used it once on the care bears.  
  
"Please-don't." he stared at the shadow with desperation as everything before him got blurry...  
  
"Kaira" was his last thought before the blackness.... 


	8. At the Castle

Beastly's Mistake, Chapter eight, At the Castle  
  
Beastly felt something shaking him, and he awoke-his heart immediately sinking to see himself surrounded by the familiarity of his old castle home. He looked up, he was in the castle's foyer, and a shadow was bobbing right above him. He sat up, and saw that Kaira was only a few feet away from him. She was awake, and watching him, looking frightened. Another one of the black shadows had her in its clutches, its shadowy claws around her wrists. She struggled upon seeing Beastly awaken.  
  
"Beastly!" she called, and he right at once started to go to her. But the other shadow stopped him, and held on to him with incredible strength.  
  
"Are you all right?" she asked.  
  
"Yes," he said, not even thinking of the pain and bruises he had. "Are you?" he asked, almost frantically.  
  
"I'm fine-but what's going on? Where are we?" she looked around at her new surroundings. She looked back at him. "Are we in.No Heart's castle?"  
  
Beastly nodded. He couldn't speak. She struggled again against her evil captor, but it was no use.  
  
"What are they?" she asked Beastly.  
  
"No Heart's shadows." He gulped. "Kaira, I am so sorry," he began. "This is all my fault."  
  
She looked to the pitiful creature across from her with confusion.  
  
"No, it's not," she said. "But-what does he want?"  
  
Beastly shook his head, he couldn't look her into those beautiful, scared eyes right now. It was then a third shadow entered the room, and went straight to Beastly. The creature pointed to him, and beckoned for him to follow. Beastly began to follow, his whole body shaking. When he got close enough to Kaira he stopped. He tried so hard to stop shaking, for he didn't want her to see how scared he was.  
  
"Don't worry, Kaira, I'm going to see No Heart. I'm going to talk to him, and try to straighten everything out. So don't worry. Please don't worry."  
  
He started to reach to her, but the shadow behind him shoved him to keep going.  
  
"Be careful, Beastly," she called to him. "I don't want anything to happen to you."  
  
He could feel his heart aching-more than the pain he had endured from being kidnapped.  
  
He followed the shadow to exactly where Beastly knew where it was taking him-No Heart's throne room. That was where No Heart often was when he was in a bad mood. As he entered, it seemed darker than usual, and he almost didn't see No Heart seated across the way in his throne, but the red eyes gave him away. "Well, this is it," thought Beastly. The walk to the throne had to be the longest walk in his life. And No Heart had not even said anything yet, but Beastly knew he was watching him. Beastly looked up at his master. Finally, No Heart spoke-but not to Beastly, to his shadows.  
  
"Excellent. You have brought to me, the human as well?"  
  
The shadows bobbed up and down, seemingly nodding.  
  
"Excellent," No Heart said it again, this time looking at Beastly, sending chills up his spine.  
  
No Heart's eyes burned into Beastly, but his voice remained smooth and calm.  
  
"Beastly," he began. "Do you have something to say?"  
  
Beastly managed to smile at No Heart as his entire body shook.  
  
"Uh-hey boss. How's it going?"  
  
No Heart's eyes turned glowing red with rage as he jumped out of his throne and went for Beastly.  
  
"You fool! Where have you been?!"  
  
Beastly covered his face with his hands and cringed.  
  
"Boss, no! Please! I can explain!" No Heart had picked up Beastly by his collar at that point. "You had better," and he dropped Beastly, and went back to his throne.  
  
Beastly gasped for breath, rubbing his neck.  
  
Before Beastly could begin, No Heart went on: "I am disappointed in you Beastly." His voice had gone back to calm. "I was beginning to think you weren't coming back."  
  
"Oh, I was, No Heart! I was just-"  
  
"Just what?" No Heart raised a bushy eyebrow at him.  
  
"Where you helping those wretched care bears, Beastly? Tell me the truth."  
  
"No!" Beastly shook his head. "I-"  
  
"I could sense something wrong, something very wrong. I even looked into my cauldron to see what your progress was, but it was very unclear."  
  
Beastly was beginning to feel sick.  
  
"However, one image came through quite clearly. Quite clearly indeed." No Heart stopped, and stared at his shabby assistant.  
  
"And-what-was-that?" Beastly dared asked. He wanted to get this over with.  
  
"You, Beastly. Looking rather happy indeed."  
  
"Oh, no, No Heart! I was never happy, not at all! Honest!"  
  
No Heart ignored Beastly, and looked to his shadows, who where waiting.  
  
"Bring me the human." 


	9. No Heart

Beastly's Mistake, Chapter Nine, No Heart  
  
Beastly stood off to the side, trying to think of a way out of the trouble he had gotten Kaira in. If it wasn't for him none of this would have happened..all because of his stupid plan the previous morning. If he hadn't have been so stupid, Kaira would have been home safe. He looked at No Heart, sitting on his throne, staring straight ahead at the door, waiting for "the human."  
  
The shadows soon emerged, with Kaira in the middle. Each shadow held an arm (Beastly's blood boiled at seeing them touch her) and led her to No Heart. Beastly watched her, she was obviously frightened, but he could tell she was trying her best to be brave. She had her head up, looking straight ahead at No Heart's throne. She looked so out of place in the old, dusty castle-so beautiful; she was wearing a light blue cropped top with her pair of well-fitting jeans. Even at this moment of possible danger, Beastly couldn't help but stare-she looked like an angel even more so now. He then looked over to No Heart-to see his reaction. It was hard to tell with No Heart, he just stared straight ahead at his new prisoner. Beastly thought he saw No Heart raise his eyebrows a little, when Kaira was close enough for him to see her.  
  
The shadows stopped right before his throne. No Heart stood up from his throne, and went to stand in front of Kaira. The shadows let go of her arms, and slinked away to the side with Beastly, who was watching both Kaira and No Heart intently. (Please Kaira, be brave, he prayed.)  
  
Kaira looked up to No Heart, as she rubbed one of her arms, he was taller than she. No Heart crossed his arms, and studied her. Kaira, in return studied him. She seemed almost curious about the evil wizard. Beastly remembered the night before how she was asking questions about him. Beastly noticed No Heart had not said anything yet, which made him uncomfortable. No Heart then looked to Beastly.  
  
"This is who you where sent to care for?" he asked him, with a touch of surprise.  
  
Beastly barely nodded. He knew No Heart had been expecting a kid, just as Beastly had been expecting one before he laid his eyes on Kaira. No Heart looked back to Kaira, who was still looking up at No Heart inquisitively, trying to figure out what he was.  
  
The hooded sorcerer spoke at last to Kaira, who stepped back a little bit.  
  
"So, my dear, do you know why you have been brought here?"  
  
Beastly watched Kaira as she frowned a little at her evil capturer.  
  
"I don't know, but you tell your shadow-goons to watch where they place there hands," she remarked calmly, still looking him in the eyes, as she pulled the corner of her shirt up, it had slipped a little off her shoulder.  
  
Beastly cringed, and looked to No Heart's reaction, expecting him to fly into a fit of his red eye rage. But he remained calm as she, he just raised his eyebrows at her, and even seemed a little amused, laughing a little.  
  
"Really? Well, you can tell them yourself when they take you down to the dungeons."  
  
Kaira shook her head. "What is it you want from me?" she asked, a little fear in her voice giving away.  
  
No Heart laughed again, looking at the girl. He then turned his focus to Beastly, who had been watching from the side. Beastly went cold, and his stomach dropped when his master put his red eyes on him. Kaira followed his gaze and saw Beastly in the darkness.  
  
"Beastly?" she said, now even more confused.  
  
"Kaira, I-"he begun, stepping a little bit closer. He didn't know how to explain what happened. But unfortunately for him, No Heart did.  
  
"Good job, Beastly." No Heart said to him, with pure mockery.  
  
Kaira turned back to look at No Heart. "What? What do you mean?" She looked back at Beastly, who was hanging his head.  
  
"Tell her why you have brought her here, Beastly."  
  
Beastly looked up to No Heart, whose red eyes where beginning to glow a little. He then looked to his sweet Kaira, who was watching him with fear and confusion.  
  
No Heart pointed. "Tell her, Beastly." His voice was getting impatient. "If you know what's best for you."  
  
He then went close to Beastly, his back to Kaira. His eyes burned into Beastly.  
  
"And her," his voice lowered, so Kaira couldn't hear. He then stepped away from Beastly, leaving the poor creature to look into Kaira's eyes, the eyes that had stolen his heart.  
  
"Kaira, I-"he stopped, and looked to No Heart, who was waiting, arms crossed again. He looked back to her. He took a deep breath.  
  
"I don't work for the care bears, I work for No Heart. It was all a plan. We need a human to test out a potion of uncaring."  
  
Beastly began to scratch himself in his stomach, digging hard enough to leave marks. He was punishing himself. He made eye contact with Kaira, who was looking sadly at him. "No," she said at last. "It can't be true."  
  
Beastly dug deeper into his sides, still looking into her eyes, trying to tell her with his eyes that that he didn't mean it, that he was sorry, that he loved her.  
  
No Heart, enjoying Beastly's pain, came forward.  
  
"And with that in mind, my dear, you should know now to be careful with whom you trust." His voice was spiteful. Kaira looked up at No Heart.  
  
"I learned that a long time ago," she replied.  
  
No Heart stopped, considering that. He finally pointed to his shadows. "Take her to the dungeon as I prepare the potion."  
  
He watched as the shadows grabbed her arms once again. "I hope that you enjoy your stay here," he leered at her evilly.  
  
Kaira just looked at him, unable to move with the shadows strong grips. "I would slap your face, if you had one," she remarked coolly.  
  
Beastly almost fell over at that remark. No Heart laughed, his laugh rang through the throne room. The shadows then started to escort her out. She looked over to Beastly, with sadness in her eyes. She didn't say anything, and he watched as she was led out, his mind calling after, Kaira, oh, Kaira, I never meant for this to happen.  
  
No Heart watched her too, he noticed, until she was gone from the room. And after she was gone, he turned his attention to Beastly, who shut his eyes tight, not wanting No Heart to see the wetness in his eyes. No Heart looked to the little spots of blood that had trickled down Beastly's sides, and his stomach.  
  
"What is that?" he inquired pointing.  
  
Beastly opened his eyes to look at his scratched tummy, to see he had indeed drawn blood from punishing himself.  
  
"A bleeding heart, perhaps?" The spite was in No Heart's voice again, as he circled his flunky.  
  
All the time Beastly had worked for No Heart in his castle, he had always been frightened by his boss. Frightened, yes, but willing to please, and highly respectful, and also in awe of such evilness. But he had never disliked his master. Until now. No, not even "dislike" was the word; now "hatred" was the word.  
  
But he had to remain careful-he did not want to get No Heart anymore angrier than he was now, for Kaira's sake.  
  
He spoke glumly: "I can find you another human to test that potion out on. I can-"  
  
"Not another word. You have been punished enough now. And if I see you talking with the prisoner-trust me, you will wish you had never been born. So be careful where you go, as I will have my shadows keeping a close watch on you. Now get out of my sight." No Heart dismissed him, with a wave of his green hand.  
  
Beastly went to leave, but No Heart spoke again, this time in a lower voice: "Poor, poor Beastly," mock symphony was defiantly in his manner. Beastly looked back at him, No Heart was shaking his hooded head.  
  
"Did you really think she could like such a wretched creature as yourself?"  
  
Beastly closed his eyes tight again, and somehow found his way out of the throne room.  
  
No Heart waited until Beastly was gone. Then he set out at once down to the dungeons. 


	10. A Potion?

Beastly's Mistake, Chapter Ten, A Potion?  
  
Kaira blinked back tears; she was good at holding back tears, most of the time. Maybe it was because she was so use to them by now. She was now in the dungeon, alone, cold, and scared. And hurt. How could Beastly let this happen to her? She had grown so attached to him the day before, she adored him. It was nice to have a friend, a guy friend that she could just snuggle up with and talk to. A guy that didn't ask anything of her.  
  
She looked around at her new surroundings. Her beautiful arms had been chained above her, to the wall, by those monstrous shadows. Still in the great darkness of her cell, she hoped for light-perhaps Beastly could come by to rescue her and explain everything better than he did in the throne room. She could tell there was something else he had wanted to tell her...  
  
She was not there for long, before she heard someone open the door. Beastly? It was not. She saw the red eyes, and knew it was No Heart. She instantly tried to move away as she watched the tall figure move slowly towards her, but she had forgotten about the chains. She stayed in her spot helplessly, watching him, terrified, like a gorgeous butterfly stuck in the middle of a horrible spider's web.  
  
No Heart stopped in front of her, surveying his new captive. With her arms outstretched above her, her little shirt rose a little above her bellybutton, leaving her tan stomach vulnerable. Kaira became uncomfortable with the dark wizard eyeing her in such a position, and she could feel her face blush.  
  
"Are you frightened?" He asked her.  
  
"No," she said softly.  
  
"And why is that?" He seemed amused.  
  
Kaira was silent for a moment. Then she dared to look her new enemy into his faceless hood. His red eyes burned into her green eyes.  
  
"Because I have dated men scarier than you," was her answer.  
  
No Heart was silent now, he continued to stare. Kaira could not tell what his reaction was.  
  
"Tell me why the care bears had gone to help you," he said at last.  
  
Kaira did not know why he wanted to know that, but she knew best to cooperate with her kidnapper.  
  
"Somebody was after me."  
  
"Oh? And you think those wretched little care bears could protect you? Or my foolish assistant, for that matter," he laughed to himself  
  
. Kaira looked away from him, holding back tears. He leaned forward then, reaching to her, and she looked quickly back at him, ready to protest.  
  
"Now then, be still. I am going to release you," and he showed her a key.  
  
He freed her from the cuffs and chains, and she rubbed her chafed wrists as she watched him-what next?  
  
"You are going to test your potion of uncaring on me now?" she asked.  
  
"No. I am going to make you a potion-a strong potion that will protect you and keep away whoever is after you. You will not need the help of those care bears ever again."  
  
"And tell me why should I trust you?"  
  
"Because my dear, what choice do you have?" His voice got low and spooky, and he opened the door leading out of the dungeon.  
  
"Come with me," he beckoned.  
  
"And furthermore if you cannot trust the care bears, then who can you trust?" His voice echoed as he spoke to her as they made their way down a long corridor, and then to the steep staircase.  
  
She followed him, and tripped on the first step. He looked down at her, and offered his hand. She refused, slightly embarrassed, and got up, brushing herself off. They walked through the castle, up many floors together, both silent. She hung back a little, walking slowly, taking in everything-the gloomy atmosphere, the ancient furniture, and the creepy paintings whose eyes seemed to follow her. It was like something out of a horror film. She shivered, and wondered where Beastly was.  
  
On what seemed like the twentieth floor, there was a portrait of No Heart in one of the corridors. It hung alone, seemingly out of place on the bare wall. She stopped to look at it, and No Heart, seeing her, stopped too, and waited as she studied the painting. He looked exactly as he did in real life, with his musty purple robe, and cowl that covered his face in complete darkness, except for his red eyes and bushy green eyebrows. Kaira noticed the painting must have been very old, as there where cracks in it, and some paint was fading. She looked over to him after a moment.  
  
"What is it?" he inquired of her.  
  
"Are you-"she began, but she couldn't seem to get the words out. "Are you-"  
  
"Yes?" He finally said, slight impatience in his voice, but also seemingly curious about what she was going to ask.  
  
She took a deep breath. "Are you human? Like me?" And then looked to the floor. When she had first seen him, she promised herself she would be brave around him, no matter what, but he frightened her so. And fascinated her as well. Kaira knew this could be dangerous...  
  
He seemed taken aback at her bold question at first, and then, amused once again. He stepped a little closer to her, and looked to his green hand.  
  
"Perhaps once I was. And perhaps part of me still is." He looked back at her, waiting for her response.  
  
"Oh," was all she could think to say. What was she to say to that?  
  
"Your name is Kaira, correct?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Come then, Kaira, we are wasting time."  
  
And he started again down the corridor, and Kaira continued to follow him.  
  
They came at last, to the cauldron room. Stepping inside, Kaira could see it looked just like the rest of the castle- the gloomy atmosphere, but in this room, she could see that this was where No Heart must spend most of his time, for the walls where aligned with shelves of bottles and potions of every color and size. He led her up stone stairs to where his cauldron was, decorated with grotesque bats on the sides of it.  
  
She watched him select an odd-colored book off a shelf, and leaf through it. She was scared and mystified at the same time. She thought to herself, what am I doing? He kidnapped me, so of course I cannot trust him to make a potion to protect me. But what choice do I have? I cannot escape him. And what if this is another trick? What if he tries to give me another potion, such as his uncaring one? Kaira did not know what to do. She felt just as helpless as when she was back in the dungeon and bound.  
  
He had put the book down, and was beginning to collect bottles. She saw him looking at her.  
  
"Come here. We shall begin." 


	11. Slowly

Beastly's Mistake, Chapter Eleven, Slowly..  
  
Beastly paced back and forth, many floors below the cauldron room. He did not know of No Heart going down to the dungeon, to bring Kaira up to make a potion for her. His choices where not many, if we went down to the dungeon the shadows would surely follow him, and expose him to No Heart. How long was No Heart going to keep her down there? Until No Heart had completed his uncaring potion. Beastly stopped. An idea was slowly coming to him..  
  
It was still day time, and No Heart usually worked on potions during the night. Perhaps No Heart had not started yet. Beastly thought if he was too go, and dump the ingredients of the uncaring potion, it would give him more time while he thought of a way to help Kaira. Beastly began at once up the stairs, to the cauldron room. He stopped. It was so risky. But Kaira is worth the risk, he thought, and began up the stairs again.  
  
No Heart had each potion ready on a table by his cauldron. Kaira watched him, expecting him to start at any minute. He motioned for her to come forward. She did so, with caution, and took a closer look at some of the bottles. "I have to drink this potion when it is done?"  
  
"No," he answered, and with that, Kaira breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"You will need to carry it with you, in a small bottle is best. But you must have it with you at all times."  
  
Kaira nodded, and for the hundredth time wondered why this evil wizard was helping her. This had to be a trick. Or did it? Could it be he was just showing her that his powers where more powerful than her care bear friends? He had spoke of them with such detest.  
  
He interrupted her thoughts. "You shall make the potion, I will instruct you. I will not touch such good potions; they are like poison to me."  
  
No Heart then began to tell her which potions to use, in a particular order. She was nervous, and her hands shook a little as she worked. She spilled one potion a little as he was telling her what to do. He stopped talking as the bottle made a loud clang. She blushed a little and looked at him, making eye contact, which somehow made her blush even more. She looked away, and he continued his instructions.  
  
Soon, all the bottles that had been laid on the table where empty, or half- empty, most of their contents waiting in the huge cauldron. It smelled faintly of rose, a nice scent, and Kaira could understand why a dark sorcerer as himself didn't want to touch the potion.  
  
"And now," he said, bringing her a large wooden stick. "You are to stir it."  
  
He placed the stick into her hands, and she almost toppled over with it. It was so heavy, she could barely lift it! She struggled to put it into the cauldron, and then tried to move it through the potion's thick texture. She could hardly move it. She tried again, this time with a little more strength, but the stick still hardly moved. She looked over to No Heart; he was probably enjoying seeing her struggle. He was watching, with arms crossed. He then slowly moved over to her, behind her. She felt his robed arms gently brush up against her bare arms, and he put his green hands just below her elbows, and slowly, he began to guide her as she tried again to move the stirring stick into the potion. She noticed he was gentle, not forceful, as he helped her stir the potion. It then occurred to her, how crazy it was how an evil wizard could touch her with so much gentleness, with more tenderness than a seemingly normal, (at first) nice guy like her ex-boyfriend Tom ever had. She began to feel dizzy..  
  
Beastly, out of breath from running up the many steps in the castle, stopped to catch his breath. He leaned against the dusty wall, huffing and puffing. He pushed himself on, time was essential. He caught glimpse of his reflection as he hurried past an old, cracked mirror. What on earth was he doing? He was no hero, and certainly no care bear. He still considered himself "sooo bad," but now with a fire that burned in his heart..  
  
Kaira's heart was beating fast. No Heart leaned to her, getting close to her gorgeous neck. She froze, her mind racing back to a few times at night, when she had fantasized about a vampire..she closed her eyes, waiting for the bite to come, shaking a little, bracing herself. He did not bite; however, he had leaned forward to say to her:  
  
"Slowly now. You have to stir it slowly." She leaned back a little, against him.  
  
"Slowly?" she whispered, half-dreamingly.  
  
"Yes. Slowly." His hand left her arm, and he placed it now on her side. She had let go of the stick now, leaving it in the potion. His other hand was now placed on her other side. She turned to him, his hands still on her, and looked up to him.  
  
"..Slowly like this?"  
  
And she carefully put her arms around him, looking into his eyes, and pulled him even closer. He leaned to her, and she closed her eyes, and somehow, she felt lips against hers.  
  
..Beastly had finally reached the floor that the cauldron room was on. "Just a little more ways," he panted, "and I can keep Kaira safe from No Heart."  
  
At long last, he had gotten to the cauldron room! He reached for the door... 


	12. A Trick?

Beastly's Mistake, Chapter 12, A Trick?  
  
In the cauldron room, Kaira looked up to No Heart, blushing more than ever than before, after the kiss. What had she just done? She had just kissed a man (or whatever he was) who had once had her chained up in his dungeon. She had no idea if she could really, truly trust him...but she couldn't help herself. But she found herself so strangely attracted to him...  
  
The strange pair stood facing each other, not saying anything, Kaira then realized that she had kissed him, yet not seen his face yet. She slowly and cautiously reached up to his hood, and at once he placed his hand on hers.  
  
"No," he said to her firmly, but gently, and placed her hand by her side, then softly touched her face. She said nothing, just smiled at him, (she began to ache inside not knowing if he was smiling back) and then found herself yearning again to kiss him yet again. As if he read her mind, he pulled her close yet again, and she once again closed her eyes and gave herself to his passionate kiss, her heart beating wildly, and, as he held her to him, she thought she had heard his heart beat as well.  
  
Beastly, the unfortunate creature had unluckily chosen that time to look into the cauldron room, at first quietly opening the door, to make sure that No Heart was not in there. But he was, Beastly spotted him right away; the wizard's back was to him, straight ahead, up the stone steps, and on the landing by his cauldron. Beastly, frightened at once upon seeing No Heart, started to back out of the door-but then, he saw. No Heart was-who was he with? Beastly squinted at him. He saw a flash of blonde hair alongside of his boss. Kaira. Beastly's heart skipped. Kaira was with him. No Heart was holding her captive in his arms. Beastly did not take time to think. He bolted up the stairs at once, in frenzy. He did not even know what he was going to do, or how to save Kaira from his powerful master-he just knew he had to go to Kaira.  
  
"Kaira!" he called out, and both No Heart and Kaira noticed Beastly in the room for the first time. Beastly, out of breath, skidded to a stop at there feet, and finally, seeing them up close, the awful realization of what really was going on begin to hit him. He looked first at Kaira, her arms where around No Heart, looking down at Beastly, confused. He looked hard at her, she was herself, and No Heart had not put a spell on her.  
  
"Beastly.?" she said softly.  
  
He then looked to his boss. No Heart said nothing, he kept his robed arms around Kaira, looking down at Beastly, seemingly enjoying every second of Beastly's pain. Beastly turned back to Kaira.  
  
"Kaira," he said weakly, "What are you doing?"  
  
"Something, Beastly, that you wouldn't understand," No Heart pulled Kaira even closer to him, to make his point.  
  
Kaira looked sadly at Beastly for a moment, then away. Beastly gulped. She still thought that he had betrayed her, and had brought her to No Heart's castle on purpose. But how could she get so close with No Heart?! His mind raced back to the night before, when Kaira had said to Cheer, "I like somebody who's different-mysterious." He felt his heart beginning to break into a thousand little pieces, and clutched his hand over his heart, as if that would help.  
  
No Heart then waved his hand at him to dismiss him. "Now go. I have the potion to finish."  
  
Beastly stared at them blankly. "The uncaring potion?"  
  
Kaira spoke to Beastly at last. "No Heart is making me a protective potion- it will keep me safe."  
  
Beastly, heart crumbling, thought to himself, "I should be the one who protects her. I should be the one who keeps her safe."  
  
No Heart pointed to the door again. Beastly began to leave, his hopes crushed. He looked back at them as he left the room. Kaira was watching him, concerned. No Heart then lifted her face up, to look at him. Beastly looked away, he couldn't watch...  
  
Outside, Beastly sat down against the wall in a slump, the tears coming. The only person he had ever loved...why did he have to fall in love anyways? He should have gotten out of there once he had first laid eyes on her, to protect his heart...and to protect her. It was all the stupid care bears fault for getting him into this..Beastly sat up. The care bears! Maybe the care bears could help! After all, those blasted care bears where the ones that got him into this... 


	13. The Lost Angel

Beastly's Mistake, Chapter 13, The Lost Angel  
  
"What is ever the matter, my dear?" No Heart watched Kaira as she looked at the door, once Beastly had left them. He went on: "Oh, excuse the interruption. My assistant is a fool, and a nuisance."  
  
Kaira shook her head, still looking at the door.  
  
"Beastly was good to me," she said quietly, she knew he did not pick up what she had said.  
  
She turned to No Heart, and was about to ask "Was it him that really brought me here?" but something in his eyes told her not too.  
  
"Now come, my dear. There is something waiting to be finished."  
  
Kaira nodded, and started for the cauldron, but No Heart stopped her.  
  
"The potion can be finished later-there is something else that we have to finish." And he took her into his arms again.  
  
Beastly, meanwhile, had wiped his tears away and started for the top floor- where is flying bike was always stored. Pretty soon, everything would be all right, he would tell the care bears what happened, and they would come and rescue Kaira. His Kaira. He felt the wetness in his eyes appear again, thinking how he should be the one to rescue her. He reached the tower, and upon entering the dusty room, cold realization hit him. His flying bike was in Care A Lot, back where he had left it.  
  
"Oh no!" he said out loud, looking around the empty room.  
  
Would it ever stop? He begun to dig his claws into his stomach once again, punishing himself..when all of a sudden, something caught his eye out the window. He stopped clawing himself, momentarily, and went to the window, and looked outside. Something was different, but what? He looked to the sky- it was calm. There was a light rain, almost a drizzle, but that was it. No thunder and not a trace of lightning. The dark storm clouds that surrounded the castle seemed to be lesser and fewer, and the ones that he could still see seemed to be breaking apart. He had never seen such bizarre weather activity around the castle..there was always a storm outside, Beastly could not remember a time there wasn't..  
  
What was going on? Beastly sensed something, and was not sure if it was good or bad, and he wasn't even sure what was good or bad anymore..he left the tower, and began back down the steps, he was not even sure where he was going too.  
  
Back in the cauldron room, No Heart suddenly pulled away from Kaira, putting his hand to his cowl, as if he had a headache. "What is it? Are you-all right?" Kaira asked concerned.  
  
No Heart seemed to wince, and then recover, and reached for Kaira once again.  
  
"It is nothing."  
  
But once he touched her again, he at once pulled away again, his hand back up to where his forehead must have been, hiding in the darkness of his hood. He groaned a little.  
  
"What?" Kaira asked him gently, nervously.  
  
"Are you not feeling well?"  
  
He looked at her with pain.  
  
"Right now, I'm in a little bit of pain. But I will tend to it."  
  
"Is there anything I can do to help?"  
  
No Heart shook his head. "I will need to be-alone, for a little while." He paused. "You are free to walk the castle, as you wish, and when I am ready, I will come and find you."  
  
Kaira was about to insist that she stay with him, but something inside her told her to do as he said. She nodded, and started for the door, and then turned back to him.  
  
"You will be all right?"  
  
"Yes. I will be better soon." He noticed the look of concern on her face. "Do not worry my dear, and remember I will find you."  
  
It was after she was gone, that he had realized he had forgotten to tell her to stay away from wretched Beastly. But he was in pain, and he let it go. Now with Kaira gone, he considered his pain. He knew exactly what was happening, and for once, in the longest time, No Heart was scared. He went to the one small window in the cauldron room, and looked out-it was what he feared. The storm clouds around the castle where clearing up, leaving behind a dark gray mist. He could feel himself slowly, but surely growing weaker...it was the girl. The girl was doing this to him. He leaned against the wall, for support, and to think..  
  
The girl came into his castle like a lost angel, with her eyes as brilliant and green as jewels, her hair that shined golden like the sun, and her sun was surely clearing up his storm. And so innocent, how she had trusted him, and even kissed him, seducing him with that very innocence. When she had kissed him, she brought forward a heartbeat from his evil body, a heartbeat from the heart he had sworn he did not have. This could not be happening.oh but it is his heart seemed to be saying with every pump. No, he thought to himself. "I am hate, I am evil, I am No Heart," He said to himself.  
  
He looked again out at the parting gray mist..  
  
"Damn you Beastly!" and he knocked a shelf of potions to the floor.  
  
Kaira sighed, as she slowly made her way down the corridor. She put her arms around her, for now she was frightened and confused again. What was wrong with No Heart? He was in apparently enough pain to send her away.Kaira knew she was being stupid. But she could not get him out of her mind, especially when making the potion with him, there was no way she could have stopped herself from kissing him.and she had never made the first move on any man before! They had always been the first to put the moves on her...and he had been so gentle, being in his arms was so much different than being in Tom's arms. Tom had always held her tight, possessively, and delivered sloppy kisses. No Heart held her like something precious, delicate, like something he had never held before.Or was it just her imagination?  
  
Kaira's thoughts drifted to Beastly. She would like to find him; she still needed to talk to him, to find out his side of the story.and she missed him. But how could she find him right now in the huge, dark castle?  
  
It was not long before her question was answered. She had turned a corner, and he did as well at the same time. They both walked right into each other.  
  
Beastly looked to her wide-eyed, with shock.  
  
"Kaira!"  
  
Kaira looked at him.  
  
"Beastly."  
  
, 


	14. Beauty and the Beastly

Beastly's Mistake, Chapter Fourteen, Beauty and the Beastly  
  
Beastly immediately looked around to see if No Heart was nearby. Once seeing he wasn't, he looked back at Kaira.  
  
"Why are you walking around the castle? Where is No Heart? Are you all right?"  
  
Kaira lowered her eyes from him, and scuffed the floor a little with her foot.  
  
"You told me it was all a trick. You brought me here on purpose." She went on, and the next words she said put the finishing touches on his broken heart: "But I guess everything happens for a reason. No Heart has been good to me, and he is going to help keep me safe from Tom."  
  
She then looked to him. "But how could you try to betray me in the first place, Beastly? I trusted you." Her voice stayed calm, but it broke a little with the last sentence.  
  
"I didn't betray you, Kaira! Honest! I-"Beastly lowered his voice. "I mean, at first-"Beastly looked her in her eyes, she was listening, waiting for his explanation.  
  
"First of all, where is No Heart?"  
  
Kaira paused, and then gestured behind her. "Back in the cauldron room-he is not feeling well right now."  
  
This struck Beastly as odd. No Heart never got sick. But he ignored that fact for now, and concentrated on Kaira. He took a deep breath.  
  
"Kaira, at first it was a trick. I mean it was supposed to be a trick. It was my dumb idea to pretend to join the care bears and go along on a caring mission-and mess things up a bit. But then I saw you. "And I-you where-I mean-"  
  
Kaira watched him as he sputtered, unsure.  
  
"I-I love you." He breathed.  
  
Kaira looked at him with surprise.  
  
"And I'm not lying to you, Kaira. I really do love you, even though your sooo good, and I'm sooo bad."  
  
Beastly noticed her looking at him closely-for his sincerity? She had not said anything yet. And why should she even believe him after all he had put her through? But she must have noticed the wetness beginning to emerge in his yellow eyes, because she dropped to her knees, and hugged him.  
  
"I believe you, Beastly."  
  
"You do?" he hugged her back, feeling as if somebody had just put a bandage over his heart. He savored every second of the hug.  
  
"Oh, Beastly-I just don't know what to do. I am so lost, so confused." She put her face up against his fur.  
  
"You have to get out of here, away from No Heart."  
  
Kaira shook her head. "But he has been very good to me-as have you. If he was to harm me, he would have done it by now."  
  
Beastly thought that over. Most likely she was right, he knew his boss, and he knew his boss was never one to stall. But was No Heart really making a "protective potion" for Kaira? Why would he be bothered to do something like that? Unless-he cared for Kaira. But no, that couldn't be-No Heart cared for nobody! He could lust, maybe, but not love.and then Beastly began to think..if No Heart really did fancy Kaira, and then he'd want her to stay with him, in his castle..and Beastly could see her everyday..he would have to sneak around No Heart, but it would be worth it..but then he would have to accept Kaira and No Heart's relationship. No, that would be just too be painful. So would it be better for Kaira to go back home and perhaps never see her again?  
  
He didn't realize he was staring. Kaira smiled at him.  
  
"Please don't worry about No Heart and me. I will be all right."  
  
Beastly looked away from her, not wanting to hear that. She lightly touched him. He looked back into her eyes.  
  
"You know, Beastly, it's so sweet the way you care about me. I do appreciate it. It's really hard to find someone that truly cares. And I thank you for that."  
  
Beastly blushed, but then his thoughts where interrupted by soft voices.  
  
"What's that?" Kaira then asked Beastly, pointing behind him, to the far end of the corridor.  
  
A light was shining, getting closer to them. Beastly squinted, it looked like the light from a lantern. He then realized what it was just as Kaira said with surprise:  
  
"The Care Bears!" 


	15. The Care Bears

Beastly's Mistake, Chapter 15, The Care Bears  
  
Everything happened so fast Beastly did not have time to think at first.  
  
"Kaira! Are you all right?" he heard one of the care bears, he could not tell which one, ask.  
  
"I'm fine," Kaira called back, jumping to her feet.  
  
They got closer and Beastly gulped. There was a whole group of them-with both Noble Heart and Tenderheart among them. Why now? Why did the stupid care bears choose to attempt their daring rescue now, when all he wanted to do was just stay with Kaira a little while longer-and he saw all of the care bears faces in front of him, and they where not happy.  
  
"Get away from her, Beastly," ordered Brave Heart.  
  
"No, wait! You don't understand." Beastly began to back away from them, as they where beginning to line up in their "stare" position.  
  
Kaira, in turn, stepped forward. "Everybody wait, and listen."  
  
Cheer pointed to Beastly. "Beastly-how could you? You've really sunk low this time." there where tears of anger in Cheer's eyes.  
  
Beastly shook his head. "No! I didn't.." But Cheer turned to Kaira.  
  
"Kaira, get behind us."  
  
Kaira began to protest to Cheer, but Cheer took her hands, hushing her gently.  
  
"Now it will be all right-you've been through a lot I know. Oh, Kaira. I am so, so sorry. This is my fault to have gotten you mixed up with-with-him," Cheer let the tears fall down her furry cheek, as she pointed to Beastly, who was trying to keep an eye on both Kaira and Cheer, and at the rest of the care bears at the same time, as so he wouldn't get "stared."  
  
"Okay, everyone-three, two, one." Noble Heart's voice boomed.  
  
"No!" Kaira broke away from Cheer, and in front of Beastly. "Everyone, please listen to me!"  
  
The care bears, surprised at Kaira's behavior, seemingly lowered their tummy symbols.  
  
Beastly, who had covered his face with his claws, looked up. She was on the floor in front of him, kneeling, with legs off to the side, her arms outstretched as if to hide him.  
  
"Beastly's my friend. He would never hurt me. It's a long story how we got here, and you guys needn't worry about that. The important thing is I'm fine." Kaira stopped to catch her breath-she had been talking too fast. "Believe me, I appreciate your love and concern for me, care bears-but right now, you guys need to get out of here, before No Heart finds out you're here."  
  
The care bears where silent for a moment, just staring at Kaira. Beastly, put his claws on Kaira's side, and looked out from behind her. "Yeah, care bears," he said mockingly, as he could not resist. Finally, Cheer spoke.  
  
"But Kaira, we can't leave you here with No Heart."  
  
"Oh, but you do not have to leave her. You are all welcome to stay as well." A dark voice, familiar to the entire group spoke up, seemingly out of nowhere.  
  
Then the tornado came, whirling into the dark corridor, and then transforming into No Heart himself. The care bears gasped: "No Heart!"  
  
Kaira whispered to the care bears; "Run..." but they did not hear her.  
  
He towered over the care bears, eyeing them all. "I am so glad you all could make it," and be started his cruel laugh. Kaira got to her feet, and went over to the sorcerer's side.  
  
"Please, No Heart let them go.." 


	16. Powers

Beastly's Mistake, Chapter 16, Powers  
  
The Care Bears watched, and braced themselves as Kaira confronted No Heart.  
  
Cheer tried to speak: "No." but barely got the word out. Had Kaira (the shy, unsure Kaira she had helped since she was a little girl) gone crazy?  
  
"This is nothing for you to be concerned of." No Heart snapped, and then placed his hand seemingly on his forehead, as he had done so in the cauldron room. He then looked at the care bears in front of him, and quickly recovered. He raised both arms. "I have waited a long time for this- Care Bears, I have finally won."  
  
Kaira looked at the Care Bears, then at him, in disbelief. "No," her voice shook. "You can't!"  
  
Noble Heart begun the countdown again, this time turned to No Heart, his fellow Care Bears noticed there was shakiness in his voice that was not present when he had been counting down on Beastly...  
  
No Heart chuckled evilly and raised his arms even higher. She pulled at his robe in desperation. "Wait..."  
  
Angered, No Heart shoved the girl aside with force, causing her to fall. He was about to advance on the Care Bears, but he stopped, seemingly thinking about what he had just done. He looked down at her; she was looking up at him, blinking back tears. He shook his head.  
  
"Enough wasted time." and went, once again, to advance on the Care Bears.  
  
But Trueheart spoke just then, surprising not only him, but the Care Bears too, with her gentle, calm voice. She stepped forward.  
  
"You're weak, No Heart. I can sense it." No Heart, eyes burning, lowered his arms a little. He listened to her.  
  
Beastly had quietly made his way over to Kaira, who was had gotten up. He hung by her, but did not speak; his master had not yet seemed to notice that Beastly was among them. Beastly just noticed two of No Heart's shadows, floating above No Heart. They where fading, just as the storm cloud had.  
  
"You're powers are draining-do you really want to use your powers up on us?" Trueheart asked.  
  
No Heart had completely lowered his arms now, breathing heavily.  
  
Trueheart went on: "And I know what is making you weak." Trueheart waited, but there was only the sound of his breathing, and Kaira scuffed the floor with her shoe.  
  
Trueheart slowly looked to Kaira, who was standing with Beastly. The rest of the care bears followed her gaze, and so did No Heart. Kaira took a step back, unsure by the sudden attention.  
  
"You call yourself 'No Heart' but perhaps you had been proven wrong- "Trueheart said softly.  
  
That was enough; No Heart could not bear to listen to her any longer.  
  
"Enough!" his voice echoed through the corridors, making all of the Care Bears, and Kaira jump. Beastly, however, did not jump, he had been expecting such an outburst, and instead he braced himself for his master to do something horrible..he gently touched Kaira's leg, and waited, heart pounding..  
  
No Heart pointed to Kaira. "Get her out of my castle! Now!"  
  
The Care Bears paused for only a second, and then all made their way over to Kaira. Beastly backed away sadly as the Care Bears crowded about her, all rejoicing and smiling.  
  
Kaira didn't pay attention to her friends, she was watching No Heart. He shot her one last look, ("A look of what?" She wondered.) And before she could say anything, he had vanished.  
  
"Come on, Kaira, let's get out of here," Cheer took Kaira by her hand and began to lead her down the corridor, with all Care Bears following, all talking at once. Kaira looked back at Beastly, who was watching her, crushed; he knew he would never see her again.  
  
Kaira tried to stop. "Wait! I have to say goodbye to Beastly." But the Care Bears kept on walking.  
  
"No time for that, Kaira, we all want to get out of here before No Heart changes his mind!" Braveheart shuddered.  
  
"Why would you want to say goodbye to Beastly? He's the one that got you into this mess," Swift Heart Rabbit looked over her shoulder to Beastly with a disapproving eye. Kaira did not answer. As she was hustled along, she kept looking back at Beastly. "Goodbye." She mouthed to him, once they had reached the corner.  
  
"Goodbye." He mouthed back to her.  
  
He thought he had seen tears in her eyes, right before she was gone, but he couldn't be sure.  
  
Hours had passed by, and Beastly lay in the castle's kitchen, under a wooden table. He spent the time counting rats as they scurried by.there was nothing else to do..a little while ago, he had thought he had a purpose. But not now.  
  
"Beastly!" The sudden call from his master made him bang his head.  
  
Of course. He should have known. No Heart was surely angry about what happened earlier, and was only a matter of time before No Heart decided to take it out on Beastly. He sighed, rubbing his head. So what? What did it matter now? And he made his way ever so glumly to the throne room..  
  
The moment he stepped inside No Heart spoke at once.  
  
Beastly. Come here. There is something that needs to be done." 


	17. The Conclusion

Beastly's Mistake, Chapter 17, Conclusion.  
  
Kaira awoken. She looked around her; she was back in her bedroom, lying on her bed. Had it all been a dream? No, it couldn't have been-it had seemed so real. Her last memories where of the care bears taking her home, but she didn't really remember too much of the trip back-she had been too deep in thought about No Heart and Beastly. Cheer was talking to her the entire time back; she kept on apologizing about Beastly, as if it was her fault. She remembered one of them, she didn't see who, remark that Kaira was a very confused girl..  
  
Kaira shut her eyes tight, thinking about what that care bear had said, and clutched onto her pillow. Slowly the tears began to leak out.  
  
"Slowly", she remembered. "You have to do it slowly." And then she had turned to him: "Like this?" and the kiss came.  
  
She turned herself over in the bed, still holding on to her pillow. An air of familiarity came to her the way she was holding it, and then remembered how she had snuggled up to Beastly the same way. She began to realize that she missed him. She felt bad; when she was in No Heart's castle she had paid more attention to No Heart than to Beastly, even with Beastly's obvious crush on her. But she had let her own crush on No Heart get the better of her. She let her mind wander back to her last moments in the castle with No Heart, how True Heart had observed that No Heart was getting weak, and implied it was because of Kaira. How No Heart had gotten furious at this, and had ordered Kaira out of the castle. Why did he have to send her away? Had she really made him "weak"? And how exactly so? Was it because he actually cared for her, his good feelings for her washing away his evilness?  
  
Kaira sighed, and looked out through her window at the night sky. She saw that the curtains moved with a breeze. She sat up, and then reached to the window. Why was it open? She had not left it open. She closed it, and just as she was about to lock the latch, she heard someone take a breath. Kaira jumped, and spun around, squinting into the darkness of her bedroom.  
  
"Hi," a familiar voice said softly, shyly.  
  
In the dark she could make out two big yellow eyes. She let out a sigh of relief, and then answered.  
  
"Hello, Beastly." For some reason, she began to feel the tears coming back, and she choked a little as she held them back.  
  
"You know, you shouldn't leave the window unlocked like that. Anybody could've gotten in."  
  
She nodded, not sure if he saw her response in the dark. He edged a little closer to the bed, cautiously.  
  
"Kaira, I, um." Beastly trailed off.  
  
"I know."  
  
He looked to her. "You know?"  
  
She nodded again, and slipped off the bed. She kneeled down to face him, and then put her arms gently around him, and pulled him closer. She softly kissed him on his furry cheek, and then rested her head against him. He hugged her back, praying she wouldn't hear his pounding heart. But there was something else she noticed. With his hands around her, she felt he was holding something in one of them, for something hard was against her back. She pulled away from him.  
  
"What's that?" she inquired as he let her pull away from him. She pointed to a shiny object-something like a glass that he was holding in one of his claws. He looked down at it.  
  
"Oh, this? Um-it's for you." And he handed it to Kaira.  
  
She took it carefully; it was a small bottle of some sort. She looked at Beastly inquisitively. "Thank you?" the last words came out like a question.  
  
"It's-it's the protective potion."  
  
Kaira swallowed. "You took it from the castle?"  
  
Beastly was silent for a moment. "No Heart sends it," he said at last.  
  
Kaira stared at Beastly, wanting to hug him in pure joy, but refrained from doing so. So No Heart had given Beastly the potion to give to her!  
  
"Please tell him I thank him, from the bottom of my-"she stopped herself, then went on: "Just tell him I thank him."  
  
Beastly stared back at Kaira, he could tell she was happy with the news, and it hurt him that No Heart's gesture had made her so happy. What did she see in him anyways? Kaira sensed how Beastly feeling was, and she hugged him again.  
  
"Love hurts," she said to him. She then looked him in his tear-filled eyes. "But not always. Just remember that."  
  
He did not answer her, he just nodded, not knowing if he agreed with that or not. She seemed to study him closely, and then she sighed happily, almost dreamily.  
  
"Oh, Beastly. You have been so sweet to me-if only you where human, then I'd ask you out on a date," she flirted playfully, trying to lighten the mood. Beastly jumped back a bit, he did not know what to say to that! Kaira stood up then, and looked away.  
  
"I should not have said that," she said quietly, now a little embarrassed. There was a uncomfortable silence before Beastly finally spoke:  
  
"Well, I should go now, before No Heart gets mad."  
  
"You will come visit me?" She asked hopefully.  
  
"Um, I." Beastly looked at Kaira, her green eyes sparkling. "I'll try," he said at last, very softly. Kaira knew what he was thinking of.  
  
"No Heart..?" she guessed.  
  
He nodded.  
  
"Well, only if you can visit me-just be careful, okay?"  
  
"Okay." He began to back up towards the window. Soon it would be all over, he thought and perhaps he'd never see her again.  
  
"Beastly." she whispered softly, the tears emerging. "Try to come see me, all right?" her voice broke, and she didn't try to hide the tears.  
  
He shook his head, and looked away from her, now looking out towards the window. He was beginning to get choked up himself.  
  
"You know, maybe it's best you forgot you ever met me at all," he spoke quietly, avoiding her gaze.  
  
"No!" Kaira went at once to him, and bent down in front of him. "No," she said again. "I could never think that." She paused, and wiped at her tears. "Do you think that way of me?"  
  
"Oh, no!" Beastly answered her instantly. "I-uh, um-"he started, not knowing what to say. Beastly found he was not good at expressing his new found emotions into words so well.  
  
He concentrated his gaze on the open window, the gentle breeze flowing in, disturbing his fur, and her hair.  
  
"I really gotta get going."  
  
Kaira reached for him and hugged him closely one last time.  
  
She watched him as he proceeded through the window.  
  
"Try to come and see me-I will watch for you!"  
  
He looked back at her. "You will?" he almost fell out the window.  
  
"Of course." Kaira smiled. "Why shouldn't I? You're my friend."  
  
"Goodbye, Kaira."  
  
"Goodbye, Beastly."  
  
Beastly left her then, and Kaira tried to watch to see how he was leaving, but it was too dark outside for her to make anything out. At last, she shut her window, and laid down in bed. Beastly was a funny looking creature, but he had a certain little charm to him. She thought about what he had said to her about maybe it was best that she forgot she ever met him. She could not believe he said that! He made her happy, in some way, he made her smile.I am so happy I did meet him, she thought to herself. And No Heart? Maybe one day... but then she stopped herself. She was being unrealistic, and she pushed all the crazy thoughts of her going to live in No Heart's castle with No Heart and Beastly out of her mind. "I'm grown-up, now, I have to think realistically. I should know that by now. I will have no unrealistic fantasies of how my life is to be, and just accept the normal life that I am use to." Kaira yawned, exhausted, she could not keep her eyes open any longer. "Of course, I can always dream.."  
  
The small glass bottle of protective potion that had been placed on her dresser gleamed in the darkness.  
  
**************************************************  
  
Beastly stood once again, in front of No Heart, in the throne room. Beastly saw that No Heart was back to normal, and his shadows bobbed on each side of him, now as black as ever.  
  
"You took an exceptionally long time, Beastly."  
  
"I-"Beastly began.  
  
He then thought about how painful it was to say goodbye to Kaira that night, and how Kaira had actually shown tears over they're departure. He could not help but smile a little to himself, at the image of Kaira actually caring for him- almost forgetting No Heart was in front of him.  
  
"I will help you, Beastly." No Heart stood up from his throne.  
  
Beastly looked up at his master with surprise and confusion. "Huh?"  
  
No Heart reached into his robe, and pulled out a small bottle, similar to the one he had just delivered to Kaira.  
  
"This will help you forget everything-your idiotic mistake will be no more to you." No Heart stepped closer to his assistant, the bottle in his hand.  
  
Beastly then understood-a potion that would wipe away his memories!  
  
"No, please-"Beastly pleaded, backing away, but tripping over his own feet.  
  
"Kaira," was his last thought before the darkness.  
  
The End 


End file.
